Project information

Support the Corn Hall Arts for Everyone programme

The refurbished Corn Hall in Diss has got off to a splendid start, winning awards for its design and plaudits from our audience. We want to put on more events for young people, young families and the elderly. Will you help contribute to our target of £20,000 to make this happen?

Charity information: The Diss Corn Hall Trust

Need

Over the past eight years the Corn Hall has become a focus for the arts in South Norfolk. Now we want to reach out and expand our audiences to give more people the chance to benefit from the arts in the widest sense - particularly groups that are harder to reach and often isolated - young families, young people and the elderly and disabled. The cost to us of this and our education programme will be £40,000 p.a. and while the Trust can contribute half, we need to raise the other half externally.

Solution

in the last few years, our volunteers have developed a limited but successful programme for young people through our monthly Saturday Club and prize winning Arts Award programme (for 12 - 18 year olds). Our refurbishment has given us better facilities and studio spaces. By securing the funding for two dedicated outreach staff, we can expand this work, reaching out to other groups through targeted performances and exhibitions, with tailored activities, workshops and other events

Aim 1

To develop our activities programme to the benefit young families, young people and the elderly

Activities

» To extend our award winning Arts Award programme so that those from 6 year olds to young adults can benefit » To create more daytime activities and events for young families and the elderly » To give children from toddlers upwards the chance to enjoy the arts with the aim of their developing a lifelong interest

The number of students enrolled, the number who progress from one stage to another and their award success rate; their feedback on how the project has helped them in their lives

Impact

The Corn Hall project is part of a larger town scheme of social and economic regeneration. We worked with a professional researcher to carry out a 'community health survey' earlier this year to measure a baseline for the town's well-being. Separate surveys were devised for the local High School pupils and for the public (1200 replies overall). The survey will be repeated again in two years to see what effect the project has had.

Risk

The Corn Hall reopened after its £2 million refurbishment in May 2017 and initial results suggest it can cover its core operating costs. The non-earning outreach programme costing £40,000 p.a. is at financial risk. We have 50% funding from the HLF until 2019, but need to fundraise to fill the gap until we can fund internally in 2020. The recruitment of good staff is a problem in a rural area, so we are very flexible in our working conditions.

Reporting

We produce formal monitoring reports to funding bodies. We reach individual and business donors through newsletters and informal meetings with staff and trustees (and parties).

Current Funding / Pledges

Location

Diss is a small market town in South Norfolk with a population of 7,000 but a catchment area of approx 70,000. The historic centre is very attractive although it has declined with changes in shopping pattern. The level of deprivation is generally higher than the national and regional averages, as is the age of residents. Local job opportunities are limited and educational qualifications low. Access to arts amenities is limited without a car, as public transport is poor.

Beneficiaries

The aim of the overall regeneration project is to benefit residents and businesses of the town -
with the Corn Hall as a key catalyst. We hope that with economic regeneration, more jobs will be created, and as the town becomes a more attractive place to live & work, new industry will move in and find a better trained workforce. For the project outlined above, while there should be an overall benefit, it is chiefly aimed at those harder to reach groups identified.

Why Us?

Formed in 2009, the Corn Hall has a good track record, not just for its imaginative and entertaining programme, but for the welcoming approach of staff and volunteers. We have expanded our already experienced and effective workforce to take on this additional outreach role and with no comparable arts venue within a 17 mile radius, we are well placed to deliver this project. Our visitors numbers in 2014, our last full year of operation, were 27,000. We hope to welcome over 50,000 in 2018